Nonindigenous Ants Associated with Geothermal and Human Disturbance in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park!
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Pacific Science (1998), vol. 52, no. 1: 40-50 © 1998 by University of Hawai'i Press. All rights reserved Nonindigenous Ants Associated with Geothermal and Human Disturbance in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park! JAMES K. WETfERER2 ABSTRACT: Although the Hawaiian Islands lack indigenous ants, more than 40 exotic species have become established there, primarily in lowland areas, where they have been implicated in the extermination of much of the endemic Hawaiian fauna. In June to August 1994, I surveyed ants in the K.I1auea Caldera region (elevation 1090-1240 m) of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park to evaluate the current range and potential impact of ants in this protected montane ecosystem. Ants were common in areas disturbed by geothermal or human activity, but rare in undisturbed forest. A total of 15 ant species was collected, including 10 "lowland" ant species that are generally restricted to elevations below 900 m in Hawai'i. Pheidole megacephala and Anoplolepis longipes, major pest species in lowland Hawai'i, occurred in very high densities in and around the geothermal area near the park headquarters. Paratrechina bourbonica and Cardiocondyla venustula, two cold-tolerant species, were the most common ants in a second geothermal area, the Puhimau hot spot, and in areas disturbed by human activity, including roadsides. Linepithema humile, a major pest species in drier highland areas, occurred only in and around park buildings. The geothermal areas and park buildings appear to serve as warm "habitat islands" that allow Ph. megacephala, A. longipes, and other lowland ants to extend their ranges to higher elevations. Colonization of geothermal areas by lowland ant species, such as Ph. megacephala and A. longipes, poses a threat to endemic Hawaiian species in those areas. Colonization of roadsides and other disturbed areas by more cold-tolerant ants, such as P. bourbonica, C. venustula, and L. humile, poses a more general threat to endemic Hawaiian species found at higher elevations. THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS have perhaps 10,000 less endemic fauna (Holldobler and Wilson endemic species of insects, including such 1990, Gillespie and Reimer 1993). Loss of unique forms as predaceous inchworms, in species that serve key functions in the natural tertidal crickets, and damselflies with terres community (e.g., important prey species, pol trial larvae (Howarth et al. 1988, Wilson linators, seed dispersers, scavengers, decom 1992). Like many other remote Polynesian posers) may have cascading effects leading to islands, however, the Hawaiian Islands lack severe disruptions of natural nutrient cycling an indigenous ant fauna (Wilson and Taylor and the subsequent loss of additional native 1967). When ants invade such islands, they plant and animal species (Howarth 1985). can have devastating effects on the native More than 40 species of exotic ants have ecosystems, preying on the relatively defense- become established in the Hawaiian Islands, primarily in lowland areas (Reimer 1994). Most of these species probably arrived ac companyirrg--human-traffic--to--Honolulu;-a 1 Financial support was provided by the U.S. National lowland port of entry on the island of O'ahu Biological Service, Wheaton College, and Columbia University. Manuscript accepted 3 March 1997. (Reimer 1994), where they had to survive 2 Center for Environmental Research and Conserva under lowland tropical conditions before tion, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027. spreading to other locales. This may explain 40 Ants in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park-WIITTERER 41 why relatively few ant species have invaded passerine birds often depend heavily on feed the cooler highland areas of the Hawaiian ing insects to their nestlings. Such competi Islands (Reimer 1994). In the study reported tive exclusion may be, in part, responsible for here, I surveyed the KTIauea Caldera region the disappearance of most native Hawaiian of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the forest birds from the lowlands, even in areas island of Hawai'i to evaluate the current where the forest has remained relatively in range and potential impact of exotic ants in tact (Banko and Banko 1976, Scott et al. that protected higWand habitat. 1986). Three ant species are currently recognized Linepithema humile, an important pest ant as major pests in the Hawaiian Islands: Phei of subtropical and temperate regions (Hol dole megacephala (Fabricius) (the bigheaded way 1995) was first found in Hawai'i at ant) and Anoplolepis longipes (Jerdon) (the an army base near Honolulu (Zimmerman longlegged ant) in lowland areas, and Line 1941), but quickly spread to other locales pithema humile (Mayr) (the Argentine ant, (Wilson and Taylor 1967). This species is now formerly Iridomyrmex humilis) in higWand considered the primary ant pest of higher areas (Reimer 1994). Pheidole megacephala elevations (above 900 m) in the Hawaiian was the first of these three to become estab Islands (Cole et al. 1992, Reimer 1994). Cole lished in Hawai'i. By 1880, it was one of et al. (1992) documented the extreme de the most common insects in the Hawaiian structive power of L. humile in the higWands Islands (Wilson and Taylor 1967). Anoplole of Maui. They found drastic reductions in pis longipes and Linepithema humile arrived the populations of native invertebrate species later; they were first collected in Hawai'i in directly attributable to the presence of L. 1952 and 1940, respectively (Wilson and humile. Linepithema humile is also a threat Taylor 1967). All three major pest species are to native vertebrate populations. Newell and highly aggressive and territorial, resulting in Barber (1913) described how L. humile at mutually exclusive territories (Fluker and tacks birds: "the workers swarm over young Beardsley 1970). chicks in such numbers as to cause their Pest ants in the lowlands of Hawaiian death.... nests of many birds are frequented islands have been implicated in the extermi by the ants in the same way, and the number nation of much endemic fauna (Reimer et al. ofyoung birds destroyed in this manner must 1990, Reimer 1994). Zimmerman (1948) re be considerable." ported that the "voracious immigrant ant," Several previous studies surveyed ants in Ph. megacephala, eliminates most endemic Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (HVNP). insects throughout its range. Similarly, Hardy Huddleston and Fluker (1968) surveyed four (1979) implicated A. longipes in the loss of sites in HVNP and found four species ofants, most of the insect fauna at a lowland site including none of the three major pest species on the island of Maui. Native Hawaiian spi mentioned above (see Table 1). Later, Gagne ders have been exterminated in areas invaded (1979) sampled the canopies of trees at nine by Ph. megacephala and A. longipes, replaced sites along an elevational transect in HVNP by nonindigenous spiders (Gillespie and from 15 to 2400 m elevation and found three Reimer 1993). On the island of Niuafo'ou in ant species: two species at low elevations Tonga, A. longipes kills the hatchlings of the (Plagiolepis alluaudi Forel and Ph. mega endemic incubator bird (Megapodius pritch cephala) and one species at higher elevations ardii), first attacking the birds' eyes (Swaney (L. humile). Medeiros et al. (1986) sampled 1994). Anoplolepis longipes is also known to 15 sites in HVNP from sea level to 2000 m prey upon newborn pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits, elevation, including four building sites in the ··rats,andehiekens-tHaines--et- al.--l994j,Ants· Itilauea-Galdera-area.-'Fhey-found--a-total--of also may have an important indirect impact six species, including all three major pest on native vertebrate populations by elimi species (see Table 1). In addition, Medeiros et nating key invertebrate prey species (Banko al. (1986) reported two other species collected and Banko 1976). In particular, breeding by C. Davis (see Table 1). Finally, from 1988 42 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Volume 52, January 1998 to 1991, Clive Jorgensen and his associates 100-m intervals along transects, usually by surveyed for ants at 144 sites within HVNP, the side of a trail or road. At each station from sea level to 3000 m elevation (Jorgensen I laid out approximately 2 g of tuna near the et aI., unpubl. data). They found a total of 19 base of each of three trees or plants, spaced species of ants, bringing to 20 the total num 1.5-2.5 m apart along the transect. I then re ber of ant species reported from HVNP (see visited each station after 1-3 hr and collected Table 1). ants attracted to the baits. Fellers and Fellers This study was motivated by my observa (1982) used a similar baiting technique in tions ofextremely high densities of Ph. mega their survey of L. humile at high-elevation cephala and A. longipes throughout the geo sites on Maui. All surveys were conducted thermal area at the northern edge of KTIauea during daylight hours. Caldera (1200-1220 m elevation), near park As a measure of the density of ants at bait headquarters. The only previously published stations, I estimated the number of ants records of these lowland ant species at such visiting a station in a 5-min interval. "Low" high elevation were made by Medeiros et was defined as 10 or fewer ants, "medium" as al. (1986) at two sites located a short distance 10 to 100 ants, and "high" as more than 100 west ofthe geothermal area: one collection of ants. At low-density sites, ants often located Ph. megacephala at KTIauea Military Camp only one of the three baits. At high-density (1220 m elevation) and one collection of a sites, ants generally located all baits within single specimen of A. longipes at a nearby 5 min, and all baits were covered with several campground (1190 m elevation). My obser hundred ants within 15 min. vations suggested a recent large-scale inva Bait station sites were divided into five sion of lowland ants into this region.